An aerial shot of Hawai’i ‘s dramatic coastline highlights the importance of protecting fragile island ecosystems through sustainable land stewardship. Photo courtesy of CEMML. BY BRYAN CHEPLIC
Last month, the U.S. celebrated Military Appreciation Month to recognize and honor the service and sacrifices of past and present military members, as well as their families. Since the mid-1980s, Colorado State University’s CEMML has supported the military mission by partnering with Department of War installations across the U.S. and overseas in the conservation and sustainable management of natural and cultural resources.
U.S. Army Garrison Hawai‘i and CEMML have worked collectively since 1999 to ensure combat readiness while maintaining environmental conservation, stewardship, and natural resource management initiatives at military installations and training grounds across the state of Hawai‘i.
On the islands of O‘ahu and Hawai‘i, U.S. Army Garrison manages one of the largest and most complex environmental stewardship programs in the DoW. More than 20 installations cover 168,000 acres of forest, jungle and shrubland, which shelter rare wildlife and plants. USAG Hawai’i lands also boast 2,000 historic buildings in five historic districts and more than 1,800 recorded archaeological sites. These natural and cultural resources require routine consultation with more than 75 Native Hawaiian Organizations, the Hawai‘i State Historic Preservation Office, the National Park Service, and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Today, roughly 600 CEMML staff are embedded at military installations across the U.S and overseas, including over 100 in Hawai‘i. CEMML’s Hawai‘i team not only specializes in environmental remediation, compliance and sustainability, but some also bring valuable military backgrounds — as veterans, retired personnel or military spouses — adding depth, discipline and a thorough understanding of military service and history to their CEMML roles.
“As an organization that primarily supports the DoW, having military experience is an asset in our work because CEMML professionals work alongside both military and federal civilian partners,” said Peter Anzalone, CEMML chief environmental compliance inspector and instructor for the USAG Hawai‘i Directorate of Public Works.
“Understanding this dynamic relationship has been integral to maintaining CEMML’s longstanding partnership with the military as well as the local community here in Hawai‘i,” he added.
CEMML’s environmental collaboration with the military community in Hawai‘i strengthens the military mission, augments resource conservation efforts across the Hawaiian Islands, and supports military members during and after their service.